India bound Nissan leaf explained in pictures: What to expect from most awaited EV of the 2018 Auto Expo

India bound Nissan leaf explained in pictures: What to expect from most awaited EV of the 2018 Auto Expo

New generation Nissan Leaf has recently made its debut in the global markets including North America and Japan. The carmaker is expected to unveil the India-bound electric car at the upcoming 2018 Auto Expo. Nissan Leaf has been the most successful electric car for the company globally and the next generation Leaf will make its market debut in Japan next month and in the North American market in early 2018. This electric car is equipped with features like advanced Nissan Intelligent Mobility technology such as ProPILOT Assist, e-Pedal and other safety technologies. It also gets an aerodynamic exterior design with Nissan's signature design language as well as a comfortable cabin with advanced systematics systems.

The Nissan Leaf measures 4,480 mm in length, 1,790 mm in width, 1,540 mm in height and gets a wheelbase of 2,700 mm. Nissan claims that the new dimensions has allowed the company to get more cabin space and accommodates 5 passengers including driver comfortably. The Leaf also gets a decent ground clearance of 150 mm and runs on 16-inch or 17-inch wheels depending on the market and variant.

Nissan Leaf is powered by an electric motor and a Li-ion battery with 40 kWh capacity. The motor produces 148 hp of power between 3283-9795 rpm and 320 Nm of peak torque at 3283 rpm. Under normal charging condition, the Nissan Leaf will take a charging time of 16 hours for one complete charge with 3 kW power, on a 6kW power the car’s charging time is reduced to 8 hours. The electric range of the car claimed by the company is 400 km/charge under the JC08 standard, which is twice the time take to charge the first generation Nissan Leaf.

Other advance feature on the 2018 Nissan Leaf includes autonomous drive technologies which features a ProPILOT technology. It works when the driving on a single lane on the highway. When the ProPILOT is activated, the car automatically controls the steering, acceleration, braking and even helps the car to park itself. The e-Pedal allows the driver to control the speed of the car and further assists in braking the vehicle by increasing or decreasing the pressure put on the accelerator. Nissan Leaf also supports regenerative braking and friction brakes work automatically that brings the car to a complete halt.

The new Nissan Leaf EV has an aerodynamic design that has been accentuated by a lower and sleek profile with a sharp and sporty appeal. The design of the Leaf is in line with other Nissan models like the new gen Nissan Micra (for global markets) that consists of the signature boomerang-shaped headlamps along with V-motion front fascia with thick chrome stripe. The front grille and the rear bumper of the Leaf get blue moulding as a symbol of Nissan’s electric vehicles.

The Nissan Leaf's cabin has been completely redesigned as that of the previous model. The company has focused on the driver by equipped the car's front panel with a “gliding wing”. The interior has soothing ambience and features premium quality material. The bright blue stitching can be seen on the seats, dashboard and steering wheel. It also gets a 7-inch TFT display and features modern safety technology, audio & navigation and supports Apple CarPlay.

Nissan is also planning to launch a more powerful version of the Leaf for the customers that will be priced higher than the standard model. The powerful version of the Nissan Leaf will be revealed in 2018 along with the prices. The new Leaf will be available from 2nd October in Japan, while the deliveries will commence in January next year in the U.S., Canada and European markets. Nissan India has hinted getting the car to India several times and the Leaf might be one of its eight ‘premium’ models that the company has committed to bring in by 2021. With Indian government taking a strong stance on electric vehicle, Nissan India might want to make an early start in the EV market by bringing in the Leaf.